A growing number of Americans are realizing the importance of the family.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street with the point.

Just three years ago, 40% of Americans agreed with the statement,

single women raising children on their own is bad for society.

But that number has recently jumped to 47%.

The same is true of cohabitation, which nearly a quarter of U.S. adults say is generally bad for society.

That's up 5% from three years ago.

It's an encouraging swing for public opinion, especially since both trends are still on the rise in our society.

Kids do best with both a mom and dad in the picture.

They do better still when mom and dad stay married to each other.

Of course, there are plenty of heroic single parents

raising kids on their own.

He'll do everything they can to help their kids succeed.

Data isn't destiny for individuals,

but it is destiny for societies.

The loss of marriage is unsustainable.

As the world leader in single parent households,

Americans will either reckon with that basic truth

or force the next generations to pay the price.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street with The Point.